Improvement in explosive compounds



- State, of California,

V circumstances.

rnunnncro cAsTELLAnos," or SAN rinnnersco, cAmronmA.

. IMPROVEMENT IN EXeLosivE communes. 4

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,263, dated J nne 8, 1875, application filed April-8,1875.

Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Pennnncro Gasman L'ANOS, of San Francisco city and county,

sive Compound; and'I do hereby'declare the :following description is; s'ufficient to enable any person skilled n the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use mysaidinvention without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to certain improve meets in that class of explosive compounds which have nitro-glycerine as a base; and it in the combination, with this base, of a substance which will reduce the point of congelation of the nitro-glycerine somewhat. It also consists in the addition of some fibrous-material, together witha certain proportion of earthy matter or certain salts,

whereby the compound is rendered perfectly harmless and non-explosive under all ordinary It can, however,.be efficiently used under the proper condition for blasting and other purposes, and, from its composition, it can be exploded equally well whether congealed .or not.

To more fully explain my invention I will proceed to describe the first part of the operation, which consists in mixing with the nitroglycerine from four to ten per cent. of nitrobenzole or other analogous liquid,- which mustbe soluble in it. This'nitro-benzole or nitro- 'b'en'zine must be completely free from acid,

but it is not necessary that it beotherwise pure. The addition of this substance gives the nitro-glycerine the property of being easily inflamed, and .the compound will burn rapidly, but without explosion; whereas the nitroglycerine, -in its usual form, is difficulty, and, if kept in contact with the flame, will have its temperature gradually elevated until it reaches the point ofdecomposition and consequentexplosiom. The new comvpound is, however, equally eificient as an ex plosive when-ignited by means of an explosive capsule or by concussion, unless too much of v the nitro-benz'ole be added. If the proportion amounts to as much as twenty or twenty-five per cent. nothin g will explode it. It'1s well known that nitro-glycerine congeals at a comparatively high temperature,

and when in this condition the powder made 4 with it cannot be used. The efl'ect of the have invented an Explo- .by contact with fire,

ignited withtro-benzole is to reduce the point of congelation somewhat.

.When themixture is prepared I proceed to' I the second part of the operation, which consists in taking a fibrons substance (as pulu,

cotton, hemp, or any kmdot old rags) and reducing it to small filaments by means of 1 cutting instruments.

The third part of my process consists in mixing with the mass certain pulverized substances, either earthy or otherwise, which have a tendency to separate the fibers, and thus prevent the formationiof lumps, which would render it impossible to charge the cartridges or drill-holes. These substances may be either earthy or partially chemical, as the carbonates of .lime, baryta, magnesia, &c., or such sub stances as nitrate of soda, potash, bary'ta, or lead, or the chlorates may be used, in which case they will assist the explosion when it takes place.

The eii'eet of the earthy carbonates is to neutralize any free acid which may be contained inthe nitro-glycerine, and thus prevent spontaneous decomposition and consequent loss of force.

The fourth and last partof my process consists in mixing the nitro-glycerine (already made .unexplosive by means of the nitro-benzole) with the fibrous substance prepared as already explained.

The principal advantages that the use of the'fibrous substance has are the following; First, to still further protect it from explosion will burn rapidly, and in consuming it never reaches a temperature sufliciently high to explode the nitro-glycerine; second, it gives the powder the property of exploding when congealed, because the fibers of the fibrous substance .get intermixed, and form with the powder a solid elastic mass that has a great resistance against being segregated, and it is on this account that the powder is made to explode by means of commission. different from the dynamite, because this,- when congealed, breaks into pieces when sub mitted to a violent concussion, and consequently does not explode.

In order to explode my compound it 'must be placed in theblast-hole, either loosely or preferably within a paper cartridge, and then subjected to a sudden and violent concussion.

as the, fibrous substance In this it is Nitroglycerine containing four or five I Fibrous. substance........ I Qarbonateof magnesia or mac The proportions of my powder may be consiclerably varied, with'a resulting variation in its strength; but the following formula is given as an illustration of the proportions:

parts of nitro benzole .i

If the chlorates, nitrates, pierates,' or picramates be added the proportions willbe more or less varied from the above, as in the iol- My explosive isrendered more effective in I cracking the rock to greater depths, because it is crowded forcibly tothe bottom of the hole at the moment of the explosion by the blow of-the projectile from the pistol.-

I amaware that nitro-glycerinefand nitro-, I usedin explosive combenzole have been poun ds,- as shown in patent to 0. W, Volney,

March 5, 1 872,; but this is not my invention.

Having" thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to-secure vb LettersPatant a y I I L An explosive compound, consisting of nitro glyeeriue, nitro-ben'zole or benzine, fibrous material, and pulverized earth, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

" PRUDENCIO eAsTELLANos.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. STRONG JNo. L; Boom; 

